1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of media content subscription services, and more specifically to portable and remotely controlled user privileges, and electronic/digital resource and asset management.
2. Necessity of the Invention
Media content subscription services are increasingly popular and profitable services. Common antenna (CATV), or cable television, subscriptions are found in millions of homes across America, and music services such as www.emusic.com and XM Radio are reporting increases in user levels. Most media content subscription services require an individual to apply for subscription, and if the media content subscription service provider wishes to accept the individual, he/she is provided with an appropriate service privilege-receiver. In the case of CATV, an accepted individual typically receives a set-top-box that is uniquely identified and associated with the individual. The set-top-box is capable of decrypting the CATV signal and supplies the decrypted version to the individual's television.
However, once activated, these services typically require very little user identification, and an authorized user could unknowingly provide his benefits to other people. Most people have heard stories of ‘stealing cable from the neighbors’ and other rights-hijacking attempts. Additionally, because these services often expect use of a ‘home base’, such as a television set-top-box or a cookie on a computer, transporting subscription privileges from one location to another is anything from difficult to impossible. For example, it is very difficult for a cable subscriber to take his cable subscription service privileges to a friend's—and non-subscriber's—house for cable viewing at the friend's house.
The necessity for administrative convenience and security has overwhelmed the subscriber's flexibility of subscription permissions. There is a definite need for a user-centric subscription service system, allowing for vendor, provider and user security, while allowing for greater user flexibility.